Collectables

“I’ve been an auctioneer for 30 years now and it took me two hours to sell 34 lots – so you get the idea of the interest and levels of bidders.”

Total sales across London coins and medals auctions fell £10m in 2024. So, are the first cracks appearing in a market that was riding high in Covid? As always, the devil is in the detail.

When a collection of invitation and admission cards, menus and related items linked to Glasgow and shipping interest came up at auction estimated at £100-150 the resulting bidding battle took the hammer price to £2800.

A look at some of the numismatic lots that caused a stir in 2024, starting off with a scarce example of Civil War coinage

Palitoy was a major player in the British toys scene.

Less-than-pristine paints and brushes from the studio of Lucien Freud (1922-2011) were sold by University Archives (23% buyer’s premium) in Wilton, Connecticut.

This year is the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth in 1775 and among the many celebratory events is Miss Austen, a four-episode drama currently airing on BBC 1, which is based on the novelist’s sister Cassandra.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales

When a copy of 'The Ristigouche and Its Salmon Fishing' by Dean Sage came up for auction at Bonhams New York in 2011 it was described “the rarest and most beautiful book on salmon fishing and with an important chapter on the collecting of angling literature”.

A copy of pioneering female author’s novel Evelina appeared at auction for first time in a decade

A signed copy of Novello’s original octavo edition of Edward Elgar’s The Kingdom appeared in Plymouth Auction Rooms’ (20% buyer’s premium) New Year’s Day Collectors timed online sale.

Our regular listing of UK and Irish books and works on paper sales